


There is a World Elsewhere

by vix_spes



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Attempted Assault, Crossover - Final Fantasy, Flirting, Friendship, Getting Together, Humor, Insecurity, M/M, Pining, attempted non-con, flangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2014-07-07
Packaged: 2018-02-07 19:11:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1910442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Q had known that teaming up with James Bond and Alec Trevelyan wasn’t going to be uneventful but he hadn’t expected anything like this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There is a World Elsewhere

**Author's Note:**

  * For [exploding-pens](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=exploding-pens).



> Written for [exploding-pens](http://exploding-pens.tumblr.com) as part of the [00QExchange](http://00qnewyearparty.tumblr.com). I have to admit that I know nothing about Final Fantasy and this prompt, quite frankly, terrified me. I have done a lot of research but I have taken liberties with things that I couldn’t find answers to …. I hope that isn’t too distracting and that you enjoy this! I also apologise for my seeming inability to write fight scenes!! Title comes from William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus.

Q swore loudly as a Behemoth appeared in front of him. This definitely wasn’t supposed to happen, because he was in the middle of bloody nowhere, with nobody for miles around and he was pretty much useless against the creature in front of him. Why the hell had he thought that it was a good idea to travel to Mysidia by himself, when he knew the type of creatures that lived in the forests surrounding the town? He supposed that he had just been arrogant enough to assume that, as he had avoided all such encounters in the past, his run of good luck would continue. Apparently that wasn’t to be the case.

It was times like this that he really regretted the fact that he was a scholar-mage, as it meant that he essentially had no offensive capabilities at all. The likelihood that he was going to get out of this uninjured, or at all, was looking slim to none, with none being the more likely result. He supposed that he should be grateful that it was just one Behemoth, and not a small pack like the ones you occasionally heard of attacking groups of travellers. Still, that didn’t really help the fact that there was a bipedal Behemoth in the road ahead of him and there was nothing Q could do to defend himself. He officially couldn’t carry weapons since he was a scholar, and if he used magic then it would use magic in return and then rip him to pieces for good measure. The staff that he carried certainly wasn’t going to help; what could a staff do to a Behemoth other than piss it off? For the moment though, it seemed as though it was satisfied to just sit there and watch him as he mentally ran through his options.

Magic was out as were weapons, given that he wasn’t supposed to carry them. That didn’t stop him – he had never really been one to conform – but he certainly wasn’t skilled enough with the knife he carried for his actions to have any worth. He supposed that he could always try and make a run for it but given that he didn’t really engage in physical fitness, he didn’t know how far or how fast he could run, and inevitably it would just end in him being ripped to pieces. So, his options weren’t just limited, they were pretty much non-existent.

The only logical outcome of this was that he died. And that was, of course, the precise moment that the Behemoth decided to move. Now that the moment had finally come, Q didn’t know what to do, he was frozen to the spot, unable to decide the best action. At the very last minute, just as he was reaching for the knife that he definitely wasn’t carrying, determined not to die without a fight, the Behemoth stopped in its tracks as magic arced over Q’s shoulder followed by two men shouting instructions at each other. Once again, Q was frozen to the spot, but this time in shock, rather than fear. Where had the two men come from? Admittedly he had been distracted by the Behemoth, but there had definitely not been anyone else around when he had last looked. Now, all of a sudden, there were two men willing to risk their lives to protect him.

Having said that, as they were a dragoon and a red mage respectively, they were at considerably less risk than he would have been, so he was happy to let them carry on as he watched. He had to admit, however grudgingly, that he was rather impressed by what he saw. Although both men were of different job classes, it was clear that they had known each other for a very long time and that they had been working together for just as long. Every single move was synchronised and they could communicate by simply looking at each other. As interested as he was by the way that the two of them worked together, their talents complimenting each other not quite perfectly but successfully all the same, he couldn’t help but be distracted by the men themselves.

Although both were blond and roughly the same height, there were several differences that could be clearly seen. The mage was of a slightly stockier build, with green eyes and a rather vicious looking scar on his face that cut over his left eye. The dragoon had blue eyes, an icy shade that Q had never seen before, that flashed from underneath the traditional dragoon’s helm. Despite the similarities between the two men and the fact that both men were undoubtedly attractive, Q couldn’t help his gaze was being continuously drawn to the dragoon. And then the man went and ruined it by talking to Q.

“Oi!! Mage! I understand that you’re only a boy but are you just going to stand there and let us deal with this on our own?”

The dragoon’s words lit Q’s ire. Who did the man think he was? “I’m not a boy!”

“Are you not? Am I imagining the spots in that case?”

“I do not have spots!” Q couldn’t help but be outraged. Who did this man think he was? “Even if I did, _which I don’t_ , what does it matter?”

“Well I can’t help but wonder about the competence of a mage who looks barely out of swaddling clothes.”

“Age is no guarantee of efficiency. I’m surprised that you’re not winded yet, it can’t be easy at your age.”

They were interrupted by a particularly inventive string of curses from the red mage. “Will the two of you stop bloody flirting and give me a hand with this? I might be good but I can’t take down a bloody Behemoth by myself.”

The shouts of the stockier blond pulled Q’s attention from the almost flirtatious exchange he had been having with the dragoon. He might not be able to fight physically or even use offensive magic but he had studied for years. He had studied battle strategy and he had studied creatures so he could help in that respect; he could point out weaknesses – both for the men and the creature – and make suggestions. He wasn’t completely useless and he was determined to prove that. It seemed to work well and he couldn’t help but be pleased that the two clearly experienced warriors were listening to his suggestions and not only listening to them but using them as well.

Q was so distracted calling out instructions and weaknesses that he spotted to the two blonds that he was completely oblivious to the tail lashing out in his direction until it caught him full to the chest, sending him flying. Winded from the blow, he was unable to move as the Behemoth followed up with his claws sending white-hot pain lancing up Q’s ribs. He couldn’t call out any further information, lying there unable to see but hearing as the two men dispatched the beast in what seemed like rapid time. He didn’t know how they did it but one minute he heard the beast roaring and then the next there was silence, both men on their knees beside him as they wordlessly handed each other various pieces of medical equipment and potions vials. Feeling at rather a disadvantage, Q tried to sit up but could barely lift his shoulders off the floor before he was sinking back down and hissing pain. A hand pressed him down by the shoulders and he looked up into the ice-cold blue eyes that had fascinated him before through a pain-filled haze.

“You’ll have bruised ribs as well as the gouges. How’s your pain tolerance? Alec claims he can do healing spells but I’ve never seen a difference so I think the bastard’s lying.”

Q could do nothing but lay there in a daze, a bit worried about what was to come. He hadn’t told the dragoon but his pain tolerance was actually ridiculously low. He needn’t have worried though. Working as fluidly as they had whilst fighting, they had him summarily stripped, bandaged up, dosed with a pain potion and redressed before they helped him sit up and introduced themselves.

“Alec Trevelyan, thanks for the help.” That was the red mage. However ferocious the facial scar made him appear, his grin was warm and friendly.

“Q. Thank you for stopping to help me. It’s appreciated.”

“Pleasure to meet you Q. And it was our pleasure, all in the job description. Now, allow us the pleasure of escorting you into the town.”

Before Q could even blink, he was up and moving, gathering their belongings from where they had been dumped. All of a sudden, a hand appeared in Q’s line of sight and hoisted him to his feet effortlessly and with minimal pain to Q. he was then offered a rather battered flask and encouraged to drink. Whatever it was made Q cough and splutter but he did feel a little better once he had drunk it.

“It’ll help more than Alec’s concoctions. Have another sip and we’ll get moving.” The dragoon wasn’t as open as the other mage but he seemed pleasant enough.

“Thank you sir?”

“I’m no sir. It’s Bond. James Bond.”

  
(~*~)

  
Q didn't know what he had been expecting when he reached Mysidia in the company of Bond and Trevelyan. He supposed that he had assumed they would escort him there and then just carry on with their journey, wherever that might take them. What little they had told him had made it apparent that they travelled the world fighting monsters, helping people and generally being bona-fide heroes. As such, he was rather gobsmacked when, after several days in Mysidia and when he had almost completed everything he wanted to do and his wounds were healing nicely, the duo had approached him with a proposition.

He listened as Bond explained that it was their preference to travel with a white mage in order to round out the pair of them with the skills that they didn’t have. They hadn't had one for several years for reasons that they didn't explain and hadn't wanted to work with anyone for a period of time afterwards but, once they had started looking, they hadn't found anybody who had fit with the two of them. They acknowledged that they weren't the easiest men to work with and that their years of close friendship and working together often excluded others, who could feel left on the outskirts. That hadn't happened with Q. He had slotted in with them seamlessly, as though they had been working together for years.

As tempting an offer as it was and as much as Q wanted to say yes immediately, he asked for several days reprieve to think things over before he gave them an answer. They had granted him one without hesitation although Trevelyan had been smirking. When Q had questioned it, the grin had turned almost shark-like.

"We've given you the time but we all know that you don't need to think about it. You enjoyed working with us and you know that you want to come with us. It’s just a question of how long you take to acknowledge your decision."

Q glowered, even though he knew he was right. Just for that he was going to make them wait for the answer. But then Bond was talking, disturbingly as though he had read Q's mind.

"Don't take too long. We're leaving town in three days’ time, whether you're with us or not."

With that, Bond named a place and a time to meet them, should he so choose, and then left the inn hot on Trevelyan’s heels, leaving a swarm of barmaids swooning in their wake. Q rolled his eyes and signalled for another drink; he was going to need it. He was tempted by their offer, seriously tempted. Q had never felt as though he had found somewhere he belonged. It was for that very reason that he had been unable to pick a single job class, choosing instead to work with aspects of both the scholar class and the white mage.

That wasn’t to say that his decision hadn’t come without its own set of problems. While the decision had been the right one for Q to make, it wasn’t something that happened frequently. If ever. He found himself ostracised from both groups but for a select few individuals and had thus thrown himself into being the best that he could be, in both job classes. He had thrown himself into studying; researching old spells and experimenting to create new ones. He travelled all over researching different cultures, traditions and creatures. There was nothing that didn’t fascinate him, that couldn’t expand his knowledge.

But there was nobody that accepted him, nobody that truly appreciated what he had to offer, until he had been saved by a dragoon and a red mage. The minute that he acknowledged that, Q knew he couldn’t deny that he had made his decision. He was joining James Bond and Alec Trevelyan, wherever that may take him.

Three days later, Q left Mysidia the same way that he had entered it; in the company of Dragoon James Bond and Red Mage Alec Trevelyan. The moment that the two men saw him approach the designated meeting spot they had both smirked, something that Q had chosen to ignore, something he felt would happen rather frequently. Trevelyan also opened his mouth to comment but a sharp elbow to the ribs from Bond before he could say anything averted that particular crisis. They were on the outskirts of the city before Q asked the question that had been intriguing him ever since Bond and Trevelyan had made their offer to him.

“Just out of curiosity, where are we going? Not that I suppose it matters but I was wondering if you had a specific destination in mind.”

Q winced as Trevelyan let out a booming laugh and flung an arm around Q with a crushing grip. “Specific destination? Where’s the fun in that? We go where the road, or the wind, takes us.”

Bond was outwardly less exuberant than Trevelyan but the look of anticipation in his eyes had Q captivated. “There is a world elsewhere Q. outside of your books, scrolls and spells. We’re going to show it to you.”

  
~*~

  
It didn’t take long for Bond and Trevelyan to become James and Alec. Q had been a bit worried that he wouldn’t fit in with them as seamlessly as he had on the outskirts of Mysidia; that it had just been a fluke. He had been pleasantly surprised. They did actually listen to everything he said although whether they actually took it on board was another matter entirely; it would appear that neither man was particularly good at following instructions or indeed following the most sensible course of action. Q’s repertoire of healing spells had expanded exponentially as he was constantly having to heal the two of them. Cuts and bruises he didn’t bother doing anything with but more major wounds, something that they had a tendency to receive with disturbing frequency, necessitated learning more spells. He had also become rather adept at scolding the two of them when they had done something particularly stupid and life-threatening. It amused him no end that two warriors could look so much like errant children when faced by an irate, skinny scholar. However repentant they were though, it never stopped them from charging headlong into danger the next time they faced it.

It was by no means perfect and there were numerous occasions that Q wished he hadn’t agreed to come with them but, on the whole, it was a better life than he had had previously. He missed various creature comforts from time to time, especially his books, and he didn’t think he was ever going to be fond of sleeping outdoors but he could cope with it. The spell experimentation that he had previously been scorned for was now welcomed with James positively encouraging it and Alec working with him to not only develop things further but to refine them for their use. The two men had also started teaching him certain hand to hand techniques and how to best use the knife and staff that he carried.

The best thing about it was that he now had friends. Well, he definitely had a friend in Alec. But even the word friend seemed too simplistic to describe the relationship. The older mage was a friend, something of a mentor and an infuriating older sibling all rolled into one. And then there was James. If there was no one way to describe his relationship with Alec, James was even more complicated. He wouldn’t know where to start in order to define the relationship or the way that he felt for James.

He definitely didn’t see James in the same elder sibling mould that Alec occasionally fell into. He was a friend yes, and he also acted as something of a teacher but he was so much more than that. Both men were a bit wary of getting too close, at least in the beginning, but Alec relaxed much quicker than James. Q was inclined to put that down to whichever mage had worked with them previously. For all their willingness to talk about their previous travels – the places they had been and the people and creatures that they had encountered and fought – they didn’t mention the other mage at all. Whatever they had done, it must have been bad, particularly where James was concerned. All that did though was make Q appreciate it all the more when James finally did relax.

He had thought that James was attractive before he had joined them but that had been before he had seen the man laughing at one of Alec’s ridiculously tall tales; his blue eyes no longer icy, laughter lines crinkling at the corners and roaring out loud. Q had admitted that he was definitely attracted to the man at that but, not entirely sure what he should or could do about said attraction, he just carried tucked it away and carried on. And then of course, the two men had recommenced their habit of practising swordplay together to keep their skills continually honed. Even though James was a dragoon and thus used the traditional lance, like Q, neither man liked being constrained by convention. As such, James also carried a heavy double-edged sabre and a Naval dirk while Alec favoured a claymore in addition to his dirk. In addition, both men had a number of other weapons secreted about their persons that they had no qualms in using when and if the situation called for it.

The first time that he saw the two of them duelling, wielding the heavy weapons with ease, his mouth went dry and, to be perfectly frank, they could have been surrounded by a whole pack of Sinspawn and he wouldn’t have realised; his gaze was fixed upon shirtless torso of James Bond. There were more scars than Q had been expected but that wasn’t completely unexpected given the number of years that James had been fighting. He was also considerably more chiselled than Q had expected, given the regularity that Q teased him (and Alec) about his age. Still, the sight of James’ muscular torso, glistening with sweat as he laughed and goaded Alec, even as he parried Alec’s attacks, sent a pang of lust through Q that he wasn’t entirely sure how to react to.

The sight was one that he saw more and more the longer that he was on the road with them but it never ceased to elicit the same reaction from Q and, regardless of how much time passed, he still didn’t have any idea how to deal with said reaction. Especially when it was combined with flirtatious looks and comments from James, both of which Q returned as best as he was able. Flirtation he could do, he just didn’t know how to deal with what came after flirtation.

  
~*~

  
Q could do nothing but watch as James stormed off, likely to the nearest bar where he could proceed to drink himself into a stupor. Okay, so his actions hadn’t been particularly well thought through and, with hindsight, he could see how they could be viewed by James and Alec as betrayal but that really hadn’t been his intention. He knew the kind of people that they were dealing with and they knew the skills of James and Alec in battle – there were few who didn’t – so would do everything that they could to avoid a head-on conflict. What they did want was a white mage so Q was best placed to defeat them, using subtlety and subterfuge that, unfortunately, both placed him in danger and gave the appearance of betrayal. The wounds that he had sustained in the ensuing fight hurt, but nowhere near as badly as James’ words moments ago had. The only reason that he had acted as he did was to keep James safe. He had thought that it would earn him gratitude, not a barrage of angry words that had ended with James saying that he wished they had never brought Q with them after saving him from the Behemoth. He started as a heavy hand dropped onto his shoulder and turned his head to see Alec looking at him sympathetically.

“What did I do, Alec?”

“It’s not you; it’s James. Come on, let’s go and find a drink while we talk. There are a few things that you need to know about him.”

Q reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled along towards the inn they were staying in even though he carried on staring over his shoulder in the direction that James had stormed off towards. He was desperate to follow after the dragoon and try to get him to talk but he knew that he wouldn’t have any luck and he was more than a little curious as to what Alec had to tell him.

_“When we asked you if you’d like to join us as our mage, we told you that we had worked with a white mage before but that it had been a long time ago and we hadn’t worked with one since. What we didn’t tell you was why. Part of that was because James refuses to talk about it to anyone, even me, and part of it was because he didn’t trust you.”_

_“What?” Q couldn’t have kept the hurt from his voice even if he had tried._

_“That was then Q, not now. He trusts you now, that’s why I’m telling you this.”_

_“Should you be telling me this? Shouldn’t it be James?”_

_“James won’t talk to you about this, even if he wanted to and you need to know. You deserve to know. Now stop interrupting and just listen. Our last mage was a beautiful woman named Vesper Lynd. James fell in love with her. He thought she loved him only she ended up betraying him in similar circumstances to your actions today…”_

Just over an hour later, his drink sat completely untouched in front of him, Q couldn’t help but think that a lot of things now made sense where James Bond was concerned. After everything that had happened with Vesper, Q was amazed that James had agreed to work with another mage again. However, while he understood that these things had obviously taken their toll, he still hated the fact that James had so easily believed that Q would betray him. He had hoped that the time they had spent together would have given James a better opinion of him but apparently not. A calloused hand was placed over his and he looked up at Alec.

“I know it’s a lot to take in and I know that you’re probably hurt now. You’re both hurting but please, give him a chance.”

“You’re his best friend. Of course you’re going to ask me to forgive him.” Q couldn’t help the slight bitterness that crept into his tone.

“You’ve become my friend too Q. Yes, I’ve known James forever but that doesn’t mean that you don’t mean anything to me. I’m asking for both of you. You’re good for each other.”

“I think you need to have that conversation with James as well, Alec, not just with me.”

“Oh trust me, I will. Just as soon as the bastard’s sober again.” Alec placed the key to their room on the table. “We won’t be back again tonight; you can sleep easy. We’ll see you in the morning; James has travelled with worse hangovers than the one he’ll end up with.”

Q watched as the other mage left before he turned his attention back to his drink, downing it all in one and closing his eyes against the burn. One of the barmaids went to refill it but he shook his head; he had a lot to think about and he needed a clear head to do it. Rather than stay cooped up in the inn – travelling with James and Alec had given him a greater appreciation of the outdoors – he left with the intention of walking just long enough to sort his thoughts out. Or at least make a start. If he was truly honest with himself, regardless of how much the truth scared him, the reason that he had been so hurt by James’ words was because at some point while they had been travelling, he had developed feelings for James Bond.

He had thought that his interest had been returned. There had certainly been no lack of flirtatious looks and banter. And while Alec was more than happy to dally with any pretty lady that took his eye, leaving a slew of broken hearts in his wake, Q had never seen James with anybody but the two of them. Now, with the knowledge that he had of Vesper and her ill-fated relationship with James, Q was more confused than ever.

He wasn’t experienced with relationships or even with feelings of a romantic nature. He hadn’t been in this position before. Ever. He had always been so focused on his work, preferring to lock himself away with his research and his experiments rather than forge relationships with other people. As a result, Q had never been in a relationship of a romantic nature, he had never had sex; he had never even been kissed. He had never really thought of himself as being of a romantic nature but he couldn’t deny that he hadn’t thought of those firsts occurring with James. After all, as far as Q was aware, James Bond was the only person who had shown even a vague interest in Q as anything more than his job and abilities. Well, there was Alec but, for these purposes, he didn’t count.

There had been one person who had shown an interest in Q about four and a half years ago but the whole experience had been terrifying and Q tried very hard not to think about it to the extent that he had never spoken about it to anyone and he had avoided forging relationships of any kind with people almost completely. That had all changed when James Bond and Alec Trevelyan had saved him from a Behemoth on the outskirts of Mysidia.

He loved the life that he had now, travelling with James and Alec, helping them in their work. There were times that he missed his research and his books, the collection that he had spent so much time amassing but those times were far fewer than they had been. What he had to determine now was, having acknowledged his feelings for James, _very_ different to what he felt for Alec, could he continue with them given the words James had hurled at him just a few hours ago? The words had been rooted in fear as well as anger; Q was cognisant enough to acknowledge that but did that alter their validity? Could he continue with them, knowing his feelings and knowing James’ past? Knowing that, in all probability, he had very little chance of his feelings being returned? Could he do it without becoming bitter?

An hour later, as he finally headed back to the room at the inn, he had his answer. He would hate himself more if he left than if he stayed. And the only reason he was leaving was if James told him to. Even then he would put a fight.

  
(~*~)

  
James didn’t demand that Q leave. It was worse than that because he refused to talk to Q at all, even going to the extent of not looking at him. Oh, Q fancied that a few times he caught James’ eyes sliding away from Q but he refused to acknowledge him directly. If he had something to say then he used Alec as a go-between, which made the mage roll his eyes on a continuous basis, making perfectly clear the distaste that he had for the whole situation. Q hated it even more and on more than one occasion, had wondered if he had indeed made the right decision in continuing on with the pair. Gone were the lingering looks, the flirtatious banter and the snarky asides. Gone was everything that Q had grown to love and, to an extent, gone was the man that Q had grown to love. Instead, from what Alec told him, he was seeing James as he had been in the wake of Vesper’s death and betrayal. Despite all of this, Q still couldn’t bring himself to leave.

And then things went from bad to worse.

Q couldn’t help but curse the sailing knowledge possessed by both James and Alec that had resulted in them making the trip down to Selbina in order to deal with a Necromancer that was apparently causing havoc around the port. If neither man had had that knowledge then Q wouldn’t have been faced with having to meet Raoul Silva again, something that he had genuinely hoped that he would never have to do. It had been five years since he had last seen Silva and it wasn’t long enough. He didn’t even know how it had happened or, indeed, what had happened. He had made the mistake of leaving Alec and James to try and get some more information from a mage that he knew in the city and had found himself set upon and knocked out.

The first time he had woken up, it had been to find himself bound by his wrists to the wall in a deserted room. He had no idea where he was, if he was even still in the city; he assumed that he was considering that the ground beneath his feet wasn’t moving at all. He didn’t know how but he managed to drift off again, more from exhaustion than an actual need to sleep. The second time he woke, it was with Silva watching him, a lecherous smirk playing on his lips. He didn’t know how long he’d been missing by now but all he could do was hope that, despite all of the problems between them, James would realise and come for him. In the meantime, he had every intention of fighting this as hard as he could. No amount of wriggling could get him loose from the cuffs and, when he tried, his magic was bound as well. And then Silva was there, hands running all over him.

“Get your hands off me Silva!” Q scratched and clawed like a wild cat, desperate to try and get away from the other man. Silva had freaked him out before but it was even worse now that Q was unable to get away from him.

“I’d do what he said Silva.”

“ _James._ ”

“Mr Bond, I had been wondering if you would make an appearance. And you’ve brought Mr Trevelyan with you. What a social occasion this is turning out to be.”

Q watched as James’ hands clenched on the hilt of his sword and he exchanged glances with Alec, a wealth of information passing between the two of them. He shuddered as Silva ran fingers down his face, drawing his attention away from James and Alec.

“It’s such a shame that you arrived when you did though; we were just getting to the fun part weren’t we, my dear Q?”

Q snapped at the fingers with his teeth, unable to do anything else but all it did was make Silva laugh. Which, of course, enraged James even more.

“Get your hands off my mage Silva!” James’ bellow came as he charged across the floor towards them, his lance forgotten and sword in hand.

“Your mage?”

“ _My mage_. Alec, now.”

The two of them launched towards Q and Silva wielding their weapons, James abandoning his lance in favour of the closer range sword. Alec and James utilised every weapon in their arsenal but it was clear that they were struggling. Alec took the opportunity of Silva being more focused on James to untie Q from his restraints before a spell from Silva spent him flying, sprawling to the ground next to James. Once again, Silva stalked towards Q and, although he was free from his restraints, Q was nearly as helpless as he had been before. He was no match for Silva physically and although he managed to cut Silva’s face, it was the work of a second for Silva to knock it from his hand and pin him to the wall.

“Now, now Q, don’t fight so. I must admit, it makes this all the sweeter, knowing that those two are going to be watching this.”

Q couldn’t help but scream as Silva’s teeth sank into his neck as fingers tightened around his hips. All he could think was that it wasn’t supposed to happen like this and where was Bond? Before Silva could do anything else, they were sinking to the ground, the feeling of teeth embedded in his shoulder was gone and Silva was slumped over him, unmoving. Craning his neck, Q could see that the reason he had stopped was because he had James’ Naval dirk embedded in his back. Tears ran down his face in relief as hands moved Silva’s body off him and helped him to his feet, only for his knees to buckle as soon as he stood up. Before he could hit the floor though, strong arms caught him and swung him up into James’ arms before carrying him from the room, Alec hot on their heels.

“It’s alright Q, he’s dead. I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”

  
(~*~)

  
Q was still protesting, albeit rather half-heartedly, about being carried like a maiden as they entered the inn that Alec had procured rooms for them in. Despite all of his protestations, James appeared to be completely disinclined to let Q out of his sight, let alone his arms and had been this way ever since he had rescued him from Silva. Alec led the way up the stairs and unlocked the door but, rather than preceding them into it, placed the key on the table by the door and retreated back a few paces.

“Alec?” Ever since they had started travelling together, the three of them had shared a room and Q wasn’t sure why that was changing now.

“The two of you need to talk. This has gone on long enough and it needs to be sorted out. Besides, I’m sure that before too long I definitely won’t want to be hanging around.” Alec turned and clapped James on the back. “Don’t make him scream too loudly; I doubt the walls are too thick around here and I’m only next door.”

Q blushed hotly at his words.  Time spent in close proximity to Alec meant that he was well aware of the older mages complete and utter lack of filter but he wasn’t used to these kind of comments. Mortified, he buried his face in James’ neck, feeling the rumble of laughter rather than hearing it.

“Bugger off Alec, you’re embarrassing him. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yes, yes. I’ll expect you for dinner and not a moment before.”

James didn’t bother to respond, he simply kicked the door closed, a muffled thump suggesting that Alec might not have moved out of the way in time. Two strides brought James over to the bed where he deposited Q gently before simultaneously running his hands over Q’s body and trying to strip him of his clothes.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? What did he do to you?”

“I’m fine James. He didn’t …”

Q’s words were cut off by an animalistic growl from James, who had just removed Q’s robes to reveal the bruises around his wrists, finger marks protruding from the waistband of his trousers and a set of teeth marks at the junction of Q’s neck and shoulder.

“You call this okay? I’m going to fucking kill him!”

James had already started storming for the door when Q wrapped his hand around James’ forearm. “How are you going to do that? You’ve already killed him.” Even as he said the words, Q wasn’t convinced by them. Silva was a necromancer; there was no guarantee that he was actually dead. He wasn’t going to think about that though. “No, I’m not unharmed but he was going to do worse and you stopped him. I’m fine.”

James looked at Q properly for the first time since he had rescued him from Silva in that cool, calculated manner that unnerved Q more than a little; the probing gaze feeling like it was leaving him completely open.

“No, you’re not fine.”

Hearing the flat assessment delivered in that no-nonsense tone of voice completely smashed the veneer of self-control that Q had been desperately clinging to and he just crumpled in on himself, clinging to James as he was caught up in strong arms and lowered slowly to the floor. He didn’t know how long that they stayed there but it seemed that James was happy enough to take things at Q’s pace, not moving an inch or loosening his grip until Q was ready. Only then did he move them, although his grip on Q didn’t falter once.

Alec had arranged for a bath of steaming hot water brought up to the room and it was towards that that James directed Q, hoping that the hot water would help relieve some of Q’s tension and go at least some way to calming him down. A significant part of that could probably be attributed to the fact that James got in the bath as well as Q, allowing the slighter man to rest against his chest as he slowly cleaned away all traces of grime from the last few days. Every swipe of the washcloth was followed by James’ lips as he seemingly reassured himself that Q was unharmed other than superficial bruises.

They stayed in the water until it started cooling and then Q found himself hoisted bodily out of the tub, dried off and placed on the bed. Q had never thought of himself as being particularly attractive, but here was James Bond staring at him like a man would stare at an oasis in the desert. He resisted the urge to cover himself with his hands and simply relished the fact that this was finally going to happen. Even though everything he had imagined was going to happen (or so he hoped), Q couldn’t help but blush furiously at the intensity of James’ gaze, even as he couldn’t tear his eyes away from sight that was James Bond’s naked torso.

“We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“When has that ever stopped you before?”

The smirk was wiped off his face as James swooped down and took control of his mouth in a kiss that was as possessive as it was passionate. Just when he thought his lungs were about to explode, James’ mouth left his and moved to his jaw-line and his chest before moving further down his body. He wriggled slightly, suppressing the urge to laugh as hands calloused from years of swordplay skimmed down his sides, moaning loudly as James licked a broad swathe along the crease at the top of Q’s thighs. At the back of his mind he was slightly mortified by the noises that were escaping him and the volume of said noises but he couldn’t quite bring himself to care. His legs spread wider of their own accord as James peppered his inner thighs with gentle nips and kisses. Before James could go any further, Q pushed his head away until James got the hint and sat back on his heels.

“Q, what’s the problem?”

“James, I’m a … I’ve never you know …”

“What? You’re a virgin?”

“Yes.”

James growled again, only this time it was muffled against Q’s clavicle and the sensation made Q moan. “And to think Silva could have …”

“Don’t James, don’t think like that. Yes, it could have happened but it didn’t. I want you to make me forget, make me forget him.”

“No.”

“What do you mean no?” Q sat up, gathering the blankets to him hastily in an attempt to cover himself up. This wasn’t how this was supposed to work. This wasn’t how he had envisaged things happening, even with the rest of the circumstances.

“I’m not sleeping with you just to make you forget _him._ You deserve better than that for your first time.”

“Better than that or better than you?”

“Both? Q, I want you to be asking me for this for the right reasons.”

“How about I’m asking you because we’ve been dancing around this forever and if Silva hadn’t happened, we’d still be dancing around it. I want you and I’m fairly sure that you want me. At least you did before I apparently fucked up but have you not realised yet that I’m not Vesper. I’m not going to betray you, I’m not leaving. I’m in love with you James, I think you might be in love with me or at least something close to it and I’m the only one with the balls to admit to anything. Are those reasons enough for you or are you going to go and sleep in Alec’s room?”

That seemed to be the only encouragement that James needed, as he moved to find a vial of oil before returning to his previous task with alacrity. Q’s hands scrabbled on James’ shoulders as the older man finally licked a thick stripe up the underside of his cock before engulfing it in his mouth. James pulled back long enough to slick his fingers with oil before taking Q’s cock back into his mouth as he grazed his fingers over Q’s perineum. The licking and sucking continued as James inserted one finger into Q, distracting him as he was slowly stretched, adding fingers when he felt Q was ready and steadily preparing him for his cock. Q speared his hands into short blond hair at one particularly strong suck before James pulled away, clearly not wanting things to end too quickly.

James twisted his fingers, unerringly searching out that bundle of nerves and stroking over it until Q was lifting his arse, bucking as though he was trying to take James’ fingers further into his body, keening his pleasure as he did so. This was what James had wanted, what he had dreamed of but denied himself. This. Q falling apart at his hands. He was hovering over the mage’s slighter form, obliterating the faint teeth marks that Silva had left with a vivid passion mark as Q writhed on his fingers. Sword calloused fingers played Q’s body as though it were a finely tuned instrument.

“Oh fuck! Fuck! James, more. Please”

James clamped his unoccupied hand around Q’s hips, stilling Q’s movements without removing his fingers as he looked straight into slightly glazed eyes. “Do you know what you’re saying Q? Do you know what you’re asking?”

“Yes. You’re good but I’m not that far gone yet. I want you to fuck me. Make me forget Silva. Make me forget everything but you.”

“Q, it would be my genuine pleasure.”

Thighs spread obscenely and looking thoroughly debauched, James had absolutely no intention of denying Q what he was asking for as he removed his fingers. That done, he lay on his back and coaxed Q into straddling his hips so that James’ thumbs rested on Q’s hipbones while his fingers were splayed over Q’s pert and, quite frankly, delicious arse. Thankfully, Q caught on to what he wanted and raised himself on his knees, hands resting on James’ chest as support.

“But, surely?”

“This way, you have all of the control. We take this at your pace. Besides, I get to watch you like this.”

Q lowered himself slowly, his hands clinging to James’ shoulders in an almost vice-like grip, taking more of James into himself with every breath. Both their bodies were slick with sweat and they were breathing heavily as Q slowly inched down James’ cock, sheathing the older man in his body. Only when his arse was pressed into the cradle of James’ hips did Q open eyes that had slid shut of their own accord, revealing pupils that had blown so much there was only a thin rim of green showing around them. At James’ encouragement, Q started to rock his hips incrementally, gasping at the sensations the action produced. Slowly, as Q got more comfortable with the feeling of James inside him, he tensed his thighs and started to move himself up and down, aided by the hands gripping his hips, riding James’ cock.

For his part, for all the people that he had slept with, James had never experienced anything like this. Even with Vesper it had been nothing like this but, then again, with hindsight he could acknowledge that the feelings he associated with Q hadn’t been there with Vesper. Q was tight and hot and just perfect around him, clenching around James almost unconsciously and the sight of Q riding his cock was going to be permanently etched into James’ brain. Q’s throat was bared as he arched his back to ensure deeper penetration and that James raked across his prostate with every thrust.

“Stroke yourself.”

Q did so, his rhythm faltering somewhat as he was overcome by the dual sensations. James took over, using his grip on Q’s hips as leverage, raising his hips as Q lowered himself and driving himself into Q. It wasn’t enough though. James lifted Q off his cock, studiously ignoring Q’s whimper of discontent as he did so, and pushed Q down so that he was lying face-up on the mattress. It was the work of minutes to push Q’s legs up towards his chest and then re-sheath himself in Q’s tight heat. James started to move in and out of Q with slow and steady strokes, wringing small, indecipherable sounds from Q and nearly folding him in half with every movement. James’ hand snuck in between them, wrapping around Q’s hand that was already wrapped around his cock, and stroking Q’s cock in time with his thrusts. Q wailed, literally wailed, as he came, spilling himself over their joined hands and Q’s stomach. Even as Q’s body was still writhing underneath him as a result of his own release, James continued thrusting into Q’s body, feeling it tighten and convulse around him. The feeling was overwhelming and he only managed a few more thrusts before he was lost in his own orgasm, slumping down over Q’s body.

It was with considerable effort that James pulled out of Q and dampened a cloth in the rapidly cooling bathwater. Q was limp on the bed when he returned, unmoving with heavy-lidded eyes until James wiped him clean and he mewled slightly as the cloth brushed over his over-sensitised, heated skin. Tossing the cloth over the side of the bed, James lay back on sheets slightly damp with sweat, wrapping himself around Q before pulling the blankets up over them. Q stirred slightly but was easily hushed back into sleep, his nose buried in James’ neck.

  
(~*~)

  
Two days later, Q awoke to a heavy arm wrapped tightly around his waist, his head resting on its twin, James’ body radiating heat from where it was pressed along the length of his back just as it had been the previous morning. His body ached, not just from the injuries inflicted on him by Silva but also from James’ ministrations although the infinitely pleasurable actions that had resulted in certain aches made them far more bearable. His slight squirming had apparently woken James who pressed a series of kisses from behind Q’s ear down to his shoulder.

“I hadn’t thought you’d be awake this early. I had hoped that I had worn you out last night.”

Q rolled over with some difficulty considering that James was apparently disinclined to let him go for even a second. “As good as last night was, you’ll have to try harder to wear me out. Maybe you’re not up to it, what with your advanced age.”

“Advanced age?” James slapped Q’s arse lightly, earning him a gasp and a wiggle that they both took note of; James with interest and Q with surprise. “Cheeky thing aren’t you? Besides, advanced age or not, I still know how to make you scream. Would you like the rest of the inn to know just how much pleasure I can bring you?”

“You mean you didn’t do that last night? I’m disappointed James.”

“Oh really? Well, we can’t have you being disappointed now can we? I shall have to redouble my efforts.”

Despite James’ best efforts to keep them both in the bed even longer, they still managed to meet Alec in the stables at the prearranged time with their belongings.

“Are you sure that you want to leave now? It’s only been a couple of days since we got back. We can stay here for a few more days; you can rest up and let me fuss while Alec can break a few more hearts.”

Q exchanged a grin with Alec; Q was allowing James to fuss but it was starting to grate slightly and Alec knew it. “Rest? How am I supposed to rest when I’m sharing a bed with you? Besides, as enjoyable as bed with you is, where’s the fun in staying in one town? What was it you said to me? There is a world elsewhere?”

“There is a world elsewhere,” James repeated quietly, his pride for Q clearly written on his face.

“Well, you promised to show me.”

Q’s response elicited a laugh from James that he had never heard before and it thrilled him as he allowed himself to be tugged into a breath-stealing kiss.

“That I did Q, that I did.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/165257.html)


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